Dame Helen Mirren: ‘I was incredibly brave’ on breaking finger in Shazam! sequel
The 77-year-old Oscar-winning actress is starring as a villainous goddess along with Lucy Liu in Shazam! Fury Of The Gods.
Dame Helen Mirren said she was “incredibly brave” when she broke her finger while filming the sequel to superhero film Shazam.
The 77-year-old Oscar-winner and Charlie’s Angels star Lucy Liu both play daughter’s of Atlas, in the upcoming DC Comics film Shazam! Fury Of The Gods.
Zachary Levi, who starred in Shazam! in 2019, returns as the superhero, whose real name is Billy Batson, as he fights against Greek goddesses Mirren as Hespera and Liu as Kalypso.
Mirren told The Graham Norton Show: “Don’t ask me about the plot, it’s too complicated.
“We are angry goddesses wearing unbelievably heavy costumes. It was very hot and uncomfortable and, in fact, Lucy said at the end of the first day’s shooting, ‘they are trying to kill us’ in all seriousness.”
Mirren said she is not a “big superhero type person” but as the first movie was “sweet and funny” she “happily signed up”.
When asked about her stunts, Mirren said: “I did some of my own stunts, but I broke my finger.
“I was incredibly brave and didn’t say anything or complain because I wanted to be a real ‘stunty’ person.”
Also joining comedian and chat show host Graham Norton, on the BBC show, is The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal, West Side Story’s Ariana DeBose, and singer songwriter Freya Ridings.
Pascal plays the title role in The Mandalorian – a bounty hunter who keeps his helmet on for most of the Disney+ Star Wars spin-off show.
He was asked about being upstaged by puppet Grogu, a non-human child who has been his travelling companion since the start of the series, which takes place shortly after the fall of the evil empire in 1983’s Star Wars VI: Return Of The Jedi.
Pascal said: “Yes, absolutely. (Grogu) is remarkably lifelike and a real screen partner but does steal every scene.”
Grogu, also known as The Child, has been an internet sensation, described as baby Yoda as he looks similar to the Jedi master from the Star Wars films and can use the power of the The Force.
The upcoming third series sees The Mandalorian, also known as Din Djarin, and Grogu travel together once more after being reunited in 2021’s The Book of Boba Fett.
Asked about meeting fans of the show, Pascal also said: “People come up to me and ask me to do the voice for their kids, but I think it sounds inappropriate because it is a breathy, low register ‘bedroom’ voice – it is so creepy and doesn’t work in real life.”
Elsewhere, Ridings performs her current single Weekends, live in the studio.
The Graham Norton Show is on Friday at 10.40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
